The Los Angeles Zoo’s popular Roaring Nights 2014 series concludes on Friday, August 22, 7 to 10 pm, with headliner We Are Twin, providing rock ‘n’ roll soul sounds with R&B and pop touches, and DJ V Money, dancing, food trucks, full-service bars, pop-up zookeeper talks, animal encounters and visits to Zoo’s new Rainforest of the Americas plus other animal habitats. Also part of Roaring Nights, which has attracted large crowds during its two earlier dates this summer, is a popular “Animal Artistry Paint Party” at which guests can express their creativity by painting a favorite animal (or whatever inspiration strikes them) on a small canvas to take home as a souvenir. Complimentary bicycle valet service provided by Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition and plentiful parking are available for the series, open to ages 18 and up. KCRW is the Roaring Nights series Media Sponsor.

WE ARE TWIN came to life and began making music when Sri Lankan-born/Germany-raised multi-instrumentalist and producer Nicholas Balachandran met New York-born and bred singer/songwriter Gabi Christine during a 2009 songwriting session after which they had fifteen songs. “Our creative minds are identical,” Gabi says. “It’s the most natural thing in the world.” The group continued penning countless songs and along the way landed upon a style that dips into rock ‘n’ roll soul, R&B production, pop sensibility and even a little classical orchestration. Nicholas explains, “Although the instrumentation is very rock ‘n’ roll with synthesizers and guitars, we try to create moments that feel like you’re listening to a symphony. At the same time, we won’t record a song unless we can sit down with acoustic guitars and coerce a timeless feeling from it.” “I want the music to help listeners — even if it transports them to some place like a movie does. It’s an experience that’s meant to be enjoyed,” Gabi elaborates. The same musical feel vibrantly colors their five-song debut EP, WE ARE TWIN, released by A&M/Octone Records. WE ARE TWIN’s first single, “The Way We Touch,” builds from a driving beat into an unshakable chorus. Gabi delivers each word with bluesy cadence echoing voices like Amy Winehouse and Grace Potter with infectious passion matched by a warm soundscape bristling with synths, keys, and strings.

Roaring Nights is presented by the landmark Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens, which draws 1.6 million visitors each year and is home to a diverse collection of 1,100 animals representing 250 different species, many of which are rare or endangered. Its lush grounds on 113 acres feature a botanical collection comprising over 800 different plant species with approximately 7,000 individual plants. Accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), whose members meet rigorous professional standards for animal welfare, the Zoo has achieved renown as an international leader in the preservation of endangered species and a conservation center for the care and study of wildlife. Among its most popular habitats are the LAIR (Living Amphibians, Invertebrates, and Reptiles), Elephants of Asia, Campo Gorilla Reserve and Rainforest of the Americas. The private, non-profit Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association (GLAZA), which has supported the Zoo in partnership with the City of Los Angeles for more than five decades and provides funding for and operates seven essential Zoo departments, has 65,000 member households representing more than 240,000 adults and children. As evidence of the Zoo’s popularity, GLAZA attracts one of the largest membership bases of any cultural organization in Los Angeles. The Zoo’s location in Griffith Park at the junction of the Ventura (134) and Golden State (5) freeways ideally positions it as a convenient destination enjoyed by locals and vacationers of all ages who can visit every day of the year except Christmas Day.

The Los Angeles Zoo is located at 5333 Zoo Drive in Los Angeles’ Griffith Park at the junction of the Ventura (134) and Golden State (5) freeways.

Roaring Nights tickets, which are $18, or $15 for GLAZA members (age 18 and up with valid ID for both price levels), are available at www.lazoo.org/roaringnights/. For additional information, call (323) 644-6042.